Aerodacious

(Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious)

Page ccAM084 (Revised 11/23/2007)

Background: The Air Mail Act of 1925 (Kelly Act) authorized the postmaster general to contract for domestic airmail service with commercial air carriers. It also set airmail rates and the level of cash subsidies to be paid to companies that carried the mail. By transferring airmail operations to private companies, the government effectively would help create the commercial aviation industry. Various routes were designated and contracts for carrying the mail over these routes were then awarded to many different private air service companies. The Contract Air Mail routes became known as CAM's.

AM-84:
AM-84 was awarded to Los Angeles Airways. Los Angeles Airways was incorporated in May 1944 by a group of Southern California businessmen to fly air mail services from LAX airport to three segments adjacent to LA. Actual operations did not actually commence until May 22, 1947 when a small fleet of five S-51's flew to the downtown post office, the San Fernando Valley, San Bernardino and Newport Beach. This proved that use of helicopters was feasible for the transport of mail and later, passengers. AM-84 was awarded to Los Angeles Airways and on October 1, 1947 it began helicopter flight service over three segments which touched upon forty-four LA suburbs and totaled about 356 miles. Of special note were the flights between LAX airport and the Terminal Annex Post Office building with the helicopters landing on and taking off from the Post Office roof.

Segment A

84-1

471001

Los Angeles CA

LAA

John De Blauw

$3.00

84-1f

471001

Los Angeles Airportto Segment A Points

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-2f

471001

Los Angeles Airportto PO Terminal Annex

LAA

John De Blauw

$3.75

84-3

471001

Alhambra CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-4

471001

Monrovia CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-5

471001

Pasadena CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-6

471001

South Pasadena

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-7

471001

Glendale CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-8

471001

Burbank CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-9

471001

North Hollywood CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-10

471001

Van Nuys CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-11

471001

Santa Monica CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

Segment B

84-12

471016

Los Angeles CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-12f

471016

Los Angeles Airportto Segment B Points

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-13

471016

Huntington Park CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-14

471016

Lynwood CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-15

471016

South Gate CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-16

471016

Whittier CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-17

471016

Montebello CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-18

471016

El Monte CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-19

471016

Pomona CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-20

471016

Ontario CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-21

471016

Riverside CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-22

471016

Corona CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-23

471016

Fullerton CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-24

471201

San Fernando CA

LAA

John de Blauw

$2.25

84-25

471201

Colton CA

LAA

Fred W Milam

$3.00

84-26

471201

San Bernardino CA

LAA

Fred W Milam

$2.25

Segment C

84-27

480110

Los Angeles CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-27f

480110

Los Angeles Airportto Segment C Points

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-28

480110

Compton CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-29

480110

Bellflower CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-30

480110

Anaheim CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-31

480110

Santa Ana CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-32

480110

Orange CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-33

480110

Newport Beach CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-34

480110

San Pedro CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-35

480110

Torrance CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$3.00

84-36

480110

Redondo Beach CA

LAA

Charles B Kesselring

$2.25

84-37

480110

Wilmington CA

LAA

John de Blauw

$3.00

84-38

480110

Long Beach CA

LAA

John de Blauw

$2.25

84-39

480110

Huntington Beach CA

LAA

Howard Higgins

$3.00

84-40

481001

Rosemead CA

LAA

Howard Higgins

$3.00

84-41

481001

Fontana CA

LAA

Howard Higgins

$2.25

84-42

480218

Rialto CA

LAA

Fred W Milam

$2.25

84-43

480401

San Gabriel CA

LAA

Charles L Clark

$2.25

84-44

480401

Temple City CA

LAA

Charles L Clark

$3.00

84-45

480401

Arcadia CA

LAA

Charles L Clark

$2.25

84-46

480401

Upland CA

LAA

Charles L Clark

$2.25

84-47

480401

Bloomington CA

LAA

Charles L Clark

$2.25

84-48

490308

Claremont CA

LAA

Gale Moore

$2.25

84-49

471016

Gardena CA

LAA

Gale Moore

$2.25

84-50

500807

Azusa CA

LAA

Gale Moore

$2.25

84-51

500807

Glendora CA

LAA

Gale Moore

$2.25

84-52

510528

Downey CA

LAA

Gale Moore

$18.00

Los Angeles Airways upgraded their S-51s to S-55s in 1954 when they began carrying passengers. Their routes were extended far beyond the original points linking with LAX airport. There was even a heliport at Disneyland.

Sikorsky S-55

In 1962 Los Angeles Airways were the first carrier in the world to put the large S-61s into scheduled service.